Protecting means for vessels



A. wmTom. PROTECTING MEANS FOR VESSELS APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22; |9I7-,

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

2 SHEET$-SHEET 1- WINTON. PROTECTING MEANS FOR VESSELS.

v MY MA w, .Q\ 4% Am. I m2 m w v a iHF hH I P K clw k I: WY Q Q QQ APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, IBM.

v a vs. lil lalatn ilj ALEXANDER- VIINTON, Q3? LAKEVIOOD, OHIO.

PROTECTING ll'IEA-NS FOB, VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

latented Apr. 20, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER VVIN'roN, citizen of the United States, residing at Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Protecting Means for Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the protection of boats or other vessels against hostile craft, particularly submarine boats.

The object of the invention is to provide means connected to the vessel or boat to be protected, hereinafter termed the mother ves sel, and which can lie at some distance therefrom, said means carrying an explosive charge to destroy any target, such as a hostile submarine or other object, with which it may come in contact. More specifically the object of the invention is to provide an improved form of torpedo suitably arranged so that one or more thereof can be connected to the mother vessel, and when said vessel. is traveling through the water will keep abreast thereof and destroy any submarine or other hostile craft or object attacking the mother vessel.

Further objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail as hereinafter.

In the drawings, which represent one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the mother vessel and two torpedoes embodying the invention cormected thereto; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one form of torpedo embodying the invention, and Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof; partly broken out and in section to expose the interior parts.

In protecting vessels against hostile attacks it has been proposed to guard the vessel by screens or other devices attached to the vessel and spaced therefrom, but such guards can not be spaced at a very great dis-- tance from the vessel, and, consequently, even if carrying an explosive charge could not reach a hostile attacking vessel unless within a very close range of the mother vessel. As hostile vessels usually attack the mother vessel from one side or the other it is therefore desirable to provide the mother vessel with some means spaced laterally away from the mother vessel on one or both sides to thread the adjacent waters and destroy submarines or other vessels approaching within reasonable range on either side. The means employed in the present inven tion is a suitable form of torpedo together with proper means for keeping it abreast of the mother vessel.

The torpedo itself may be of any desired form and equipped with the simplest kind of mechanism for carrying out its proper functions. The torpedo shown in the drawings has the usual shell or casing 1, whose head end 2 carries an explosive charge fired by contact of the war head 3 with a hostile object. At the rear of the shell is located a propeller 4c of the usual form' and supported by an operating shaft 5 extending longitudinally along the torpedo axis, 6 represents the forward horizontal level controlling planes. and 7 the adjustable rearward plane or planes. The torpedo will be ballasted and the horizontal planes set in the usual manner so as to cause it to float or travel either on the surface of the Water or uniformly at a definite level of submergence therein, as will be readily understood.

The torpedo is also provided with suitable means whereby it derives motion of propulsion from the mother vessel so as to keep' it abreast thereof and protect it from laterally adjacent hostile objects. As shown, the torpedo is provided with a through water passage 8, preferably of Venturi form. In other words, said passage has a wide inlet or mouth 9 and walls 10 gradually converging to a more restricted waist 11 beyond which it rapidly'enlarges to the outlet 12.

The inlet 9 is on one side of the torpedo, specifically that side toward the mother vessel, and the outlet 12 is on its opposite side,

In the passage 8 and preferably located at or in advance of the restricted waist 11 are located one or more water power wheels 13 attached to the propeller shaft 5, which passes through one of the walls of the water channel and at its forward end is j ournaled in a bracket 14 carried by the other wall. This water wheel 13, of which three are shown for purpose of illustration, may be similar to turn the power wheel 13 which re a cable. In practice it is found in form to the usual torpedo propeller, with the inclination of its vanes in the same direction.

Any suitable connection may be provided between the torpedo and the mother vessel, said connection being preferably of flexible light form to reduce the water friction and illustrated as a wire cable 15 attached at one end to one side of the mother vessel and at its opposite end suitably connected to the near side of the torpedo in advance of its center of mass. Specifically, the outer end of the cable 15 is ached an eye in the torpedo 16 projecting outwardly at the mouth 9 from the advai'icc wall 10 and in the water channel. I

The action is as follows:

Fig. 1 illustrates the mother vessel and two torpedoes. one on h r side thereof, although it will be unders o-od that a larger number of torpedoes can be connected to the same mother vessel. In this view, the vessel and torpedo are shown out of true propor tions for clearness o1": illustratiom the vessel being reduced and the torpedoes b T larged from their true sizes.

When the vessel is traveling along a straight course, such as indicated by the line A A, the two torpedoes stand out at the sides and are abreast of said vessel but with their longitudinal axes diverging iorwardly therehom, thereby exposing to the water along their lines of advance 'aa and (61.-(L1 the inlets or months or" the two torpedoes. The latter are respectively a right and a left, in that their water passages are inclined diagonally from front to rear and side to side in opposite directions. As a result of the Venturi principle the convergence of the walls 10 ot' the ater passages produces pressure at the restr cted wai. in each torpedo, thereby si yol in ower res the propeller 4-. The form and size of the power wheel and propeller together with the configuration of the Vonturi passa e and weight of the torpedo are important and are adjust ed and designed so that the enturi sages furnish suliicient power at all tir propel the torpedo through the water ing it to advance and keep ebr as" o mother vessel not with it is connected thereto in. {j merely by flexible the cable 15 will stand out nearly at right angles the ourse of the vessel.

VJ hen the vessel changes course either to the right or left the torpedo still keeps its position abreast of the vessel. In other words the torpedo on the outside of the curved course of the vessel advances to increase its speed to make the longer course iii-the same time as the vessel 11 the shorter course, while the torpedo on the inner side of the curve lags back or is retarded so as to keep back to its place. This action may be explained follows:

Let us say that the vessel turns to the right in Pig. 1, to or toward the diagonal course l3-l3. In this case the torpedo X at the left has apparently lost some position and is behind the mother vessel. However, the line of travel of the torpedo through the water is now the line 6-?) and the torpedo is subject to an increased pull of the cable 15 to drag it out from its course a-a and into the new course b7 The result is to expose a larger effective area of the inlet 9 to the water along the new course b-b. Consequently a greater quantity of Water flows through the water passage and a greater pressure is produced at the restricted waist 11. This increases the power supply of the water wheel and speeds up the propeller to advance the torpedo more rapidly through the water. Actually, when the vessel turns, the torpedo on the outside of the curve speeds up immediately and ady ances with the vessel to the position indicated by the dotted lines at the left in Fig. 1 and keeps abreast of the vessel all the Way around the curve.

In view of the foregoing. the effect on the torpedo on the inside of the curve will be more readily understood. Let us assume now that the vessel in Fig. l turnsto the left or toward the new course CC. In this case the torpedo has apparently gained in position and is in advance of its proper place. However, the pull on the cable 15 has been slaclrened and the axis of the torpedo is already more closely in line with its new course c0. The result is to reduce the eiiiective area of the mouth 9 exposed to the water along the line of direction of the new course to decrease the power at the wheel 13 and to retard the propeller so that the torpedo lags back and maintains its position abreast of the vessel.

Having des ribed the action of the torpedo at the left in Fig. 1 on both the outside and inside of the curve, the action of the torpedo at the right will require no description, as it acts in the same manner, merely differing from the one described in that it is a right instead of a left.

It will now be readily understood that the effect of the arrangement described is for the torpedo to reach and maintain a balanced posi ion. Should the torpedo actually or apparently gain in position on the mother vessel the effective area of its mouth to the water is reduced, its power decreases and it )PS back. Should it'actually or apparently lose in position the exposed area is increasec and it speeds ahead.

The invention provides simple means at low cost capable of threading a wide area of water at t e sides of the advancing veseel and destroying any hostile object within reasonable distance from the vessel. The length of the connecting cable depends only on the power of the mother vessel and the greater or less water friction effect produced by the length of cable employer What 1 claim is:

1. A towed torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a passage through which water flows as the torpedo travels through the water, and propelling means for said torpedo actuated by the flow of water through said passage.

2. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a water passage extended horizontally therethrough along a diagonal line from side to side.

3. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a water passage extended horizontally therethrough, and propelling means therefor actuated by the flow of water through said passage.

- A. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a water passage extended horizontally therethrough along a diagonal line from side to side, and propelling means therefor actuated. by the flow of water through said passage.

5. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a diagonally extended water passage therethrough whose walls converge toward restricted waist.

6. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a diagonally extending water passage therethrough whose walls converge toward a restricted waist, and means at said restricted waist arranged to utilize the water pressure for propulsion of the torpedo.

7. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a water passage therethrough, propelling means for said torpedo actuated by the flow of water through said passage, and towing means for connecting said torpedo to a mother vessel.

8. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge provided with a water passage extending horizontally therethrough, and towing means for connecting said torpedo to a mother vessel.

9. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a water passage extending horizontally therethrough, along a diagonal line from side to side, and means for connecting said torpedo to a mother vessel.

10. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a water passage extending horizontally therethrough, propelling means therefor actuated by the flow of water through said passage, and means for connecting said torpedo to mother vessel.

11. A torpedo carrying charge and provided with a water passage extending horizontally therethrough along a diagonal line from side to side, propelling an explosive means therefor actuated by the flow of water through said passage, and means for connecting said tor" edo to a mother vessel.

12. A torpeco carrying an explosive charge and'provided with a diagonally extending water passage therethrough whose walls converge a restricted Waist, and means folr connecting said torpedo to a mother vesse 13. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a diagonally extending water passage therethrough whose walls converge a restricted waist, means at said restricted waist arranged to utilize the water pressure for propulsion of the torpedo, and means for connecting said torpedo to a mother vessel.

1a. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a water passage therethrough, propelling means for said torpedo actuated by the flow of water through said passage, and a flexible cable ,for connecting said torpedo to a mother vessel.

15. A torpedo carrying an' explosive charge and provided with a water passage extending horizontally therethrough along a diagonal line from side to side, and a flexible cable for connecting said torpedo to a mother vessel.

16. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a water passage extending horizontally therethrough along a diagonal line from side to side, and a flexible cable for connecting said torpedo to a mother vessel.

17. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a water passage extending horizontally therethrough, propelling means therefor actuated by the flow of water through said passage, and a flexible cable for connecting said torpedo to a mother vessel.

18. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a water passage extending horizontally therethrough along a diagonal line from side to side, propelling means therefor actuated by the flow of water through said passage, and a flexible cable folr connecting said torpedo to a mother vesse 19. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a diagonally extending water passage therethrough whose walls converge toward a restricted waist, and a flexible cable for connecting said torpedo to a mother vessel.

20. A torpedo carrying an explosive charge and provided with a diagonally extending waterpassage therethrough whose walls converge toward a restricted waist, means at said restricted waist arranged to utilize the water pressure for propulsion of the torpedo, and a flexible cable for connecting said torpedo to a mother vessel.

21. In combination, a mother vessel, a torpedo,-a flexible cable for connecting the torpedo to the vessel, a torpedo propeller, said torpedo being provided with a water passage and means whereby the flow of water 5 through said passage actuates the said propeller.

22. In combination, a mother vessel, a torpedo a flexible cable for connecting the torpedo to the vessel, a torpedo propeller, said torpedo being provided with a water pasage, said passage having walls converging In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 1

ALEXANDER WINTON. 

